METROPOLIS handed to its creator the piece of paper which it had taken from the table, before Joh Fredersen's eyes. "That's trickery, Rotwang," said Joh Fredersen. The great inventor looked at him. He laughed. The noiseless laughter drew back his mouth to.his ears. "No trickery, Joh Fredersen-the work of • genius I Shall Futur. dance to you? Shall my beautiful Parody play the affectionate? Or the sulky? Cleopatra of Damayanti? Shall she have the gestures of the Gothic Madonnas? Or the gestures of love of an Asiatic dancer? What hair shall I plant upon the skull of your tool? Shall she be modest or impudent? Excuse me my many words, you man of fewl I am drunk, d'you see, drunk with being a creator. I intoxicate myself,' I inebriate myself, on your astonished facel I have surpassed your expectations, Joh Fredersen, haven't I? And you do not know everything yet: my beautiful Parody can sing, tool She can also readl The mechanism of her brain is as infallible as that of your own, Joh Fredersenl" "If that is so," said the Master over the great Metropolis, with a certain dryness in his voice, which had become quite hoarse, "then command her to unriddle the plan which you have in your hand, Rotwang ..." Rotwang burst out into laughter which was like the laughter of a drunken man. He threw a glance at the piece of paper which he held spread out in his fingers, and was about to pass it, anticipatingly triumphant, to the being which stood beside him. But he stopped in the middle of the movement. With open mouth, he stared at the piece of paper, raising it nearer and nearer to his eyes. Joh Fredersen, who was watching him, bent forward. He wanted to say something, to ask a question. But before he could open his lips Rotwang threw up his head and met Joh Fredersen's glance with so green a fire jn his eyes that the Master of the great Metropolis remained dumb. Twice, three times did this green glow Hash between the piece of paper and Joh Fredersen's face. And during the whole time not a sound was perceptible in the room but the
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